Thursday, May 28, 2009

One More Kona!

This set is just too much fun to color! So…I just had to do another one! lol

Hangin’ Loose with Kona, exclusively at Eclectic PaperieWT220 Kona ButtonsThis time I masked him and airbrushed the background using my cloud template . I also added a lot more MuddPuddles sand, then colored another crab and popped it up on a foam dimensional.

kona closeup

The heart balloons are from another Our Craft Lounge set, Anna Mae.

stamps: hangin’ loose with kona, anna mae-our craft lounge
paper: gp white, making memories, the paper studio, hallo’s
ink: memento tuxedo black-tsukineko
other: copics/airbrush system, spellbinders inverted scallop squares, sand-muddpuddles.net, martha stewart border punch, cloud template, buttons, glue dots, zip dry glue, foam dimensionals, sakura white gel pen, fine tip artist pen

Thanks again for stopping by!

Dawn

Hangin’ Loose with Kona! and Happy Birthday Joy!

This is a fun surprise sneak peak…
fun because it’s an Eclectic Paperie exclusive set available today!

AND…

it’s Joy’s (joyofstamping on SCS) birthday today…
so I combined the two to wish her a HAPPY DAY!!
OCL Joy's bday surfboard closeup

Isn’t he just the cutest!! But wait! There’s MORE!

OCL Joy's bday dudeI colored everything with Copics.
This one I spread some
Mudd Puddles sand along the bottom.

OCL Joy's bday ridewave

OCL Joy's Bday

I thought this set would be super with the Tri Shutter card technique from last week. And I had the perfect paper to go along, two stacks from DCWV, some solid Making Memories and Prism.

I Cuttlebugged the blue to make it look like waves. On the “cute factor” and “fun to color” scale,
Hangin’ Loose with Kona,
is definitely a 10!

If you have a minute, stop by Joy’s blog and give her a shout!
Stop by
Cambria's blog to see who all played with this set!

And as always…
Thanks for stopping!

Dawn

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Face The Music

Today’s sketch on SCS has more pieces than a Lincoln Log set…well, not really…but, whew, there were quite a few! Fun though I must say!

I chose to do just that…have fun with it! With fun colors and paper.

SC230 Face the MusicUsing Artful Inkables, Music a la Cart, colored with Copics. I made the fun “buttons” by  stamping on my cardstock, punching with a circle punch then covering with Glossy Accents.music closeup

I know my colors look different…two different light sources…and the orange isn’t quite that BRIGHT!! lol… oh well

So, what’s your plan for today? I sheared 3 llamas last night with the help of my 4H kids… I can tell I’m another year older!! Whew! I’m dragging today! LOL! I think I’ll save doing more for tomorrow… yeah, that sounds like a plan! Only 15 more to go (of my own… 6 others I do besides!)

Have a great day whatever you do and as always….

Thanks for stopping!

Dawn

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memories...and Cards For Heroes

My CFH Blog Hop is just below this post!
This card will be going to CFH


Here's my Monday challenge card (I do with a group of friends on SCS)....Deb sent us these beautiful Basic Grey papers, the brad and some ribbon. We were to use at least 2 of the 3 papers, the brad and we could use the ribbon if we wanted.

I combined the flowers from Our Daily Bread's, Sing Unto The Lord, and Crafty Secrets' Bird Notes.
The flowers and bird are colored with Copics, then with the Spellbinders die in place I colored in the bg with Prismacolor pencil blended with baby oil. The flower centers have stickles in them.

I hope you have a safe and happy Memorial Day...remember why we're celebrating this day!

Now, I'm off to make baked beans!!

Thanks for stopping!


Saturday, May 23, 2009

Memorial Day Weekend...Cards For Heroes Blog Hop & Blog Candy!!

Contest is OVER
Paula of The Paper Spa & Lauren of {2H Designs}
won my blog candy!
Congratulations Paula & Lauren!

American Waving Flag Pictures, Images and Photos

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day,
is a day of remembrance
for those who have died in our nation's service.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

Our little town has had a Memorial Day parade for as long as I can remember, just a tiny parade with Veterans, scouts and the high school band...ending at the flag decorated cemetery with a speech and a gun salute. Very "Norman Rockwell-ish"!

Today I'm happy and proud to be part of a blog hop to honor those serving our country. Cards for Heroes is a non profit organization that collects blank hand crafted cards to send to the troops so they have cards they in turn can send to their loved ones and friends back home! As of May 17th.... 140,875 cards have been sent!

There are 135 blogs in this hop! WoW!! Be sure to hop around because some will have give aways! (including me!) Here's the beginning of the hop in case you're landing here at the end and wondering where on earth is the start??!!! LOL
I'm last, sending you back to, Cards For Heroes Homefront Blog.


And here's my card....



I used Our Daily Bread Designs', God Bless America and On Eagle's Wings. These two sets go perfectly together! Unfortunately you don't get the full 3-D effect of the eagle. His wings are very "curvy", his tail is up and his head is down. He's only attached by foam dimensionals in the middle of his body.



I love the look of pencil on Kraft cardstock!! This is entirely colored with Prismacolor pencils blended with baby oil (the stars are white gel pen). The quote is embossed.

I'll have another card to show you on Monday that I'll be sending (our CCEE group challenge card)...totally different!

Kelley, owner of Our Daily Bread Designs,
has graciously donated these two sets!!


Just leave me a comment and be sure to leave your email,
I need to be able to contact you should you win!

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend...
and let's not forget why we're celebrating this day!


Now, go hopping!


Thanks for stopping!




Wednesday, May 20, 2009

A Watercolored Sketch

My card today is combination of the Sketch Challenge on SCS and the Dirty Dozen Alumni challenge...


  • Challenge Focus: Create a project that has something to do with water, it can be in your stamps, paper, or embellishments. But lets celebrate the happiness of warm weather and refreshing water. Let us know the story behind it too!

  • Required Element: Watercoloring! If we're doing a water themed project there needs to be some element of watercoloring on your creation.
  • Restricted Element: If it's H2O that means the two in the equation restricts you to only two embellishments. For example, ribbon and piercing, primas and brads. Focal image shapes like nesties or sizzix die cuts don't count. Let's see how creative you can be with just 2 embellishments girls!


    I just love this set from Crafty Secrets, Seaside! Perfect for the challenge, no? It's watercolored with Peerless Watercolors and a waterbrush. Highlights were added with a Sakura white gel pen.

*Tip: did you know you could blend a gel pen with a waterbrush? yup,
just smooth out the color with your waterbrush before the gel pen has a chance to dry.

I only used the gel pen on the Kraft paper to make the images pop.

*Tip: with clear and unmounted stamps, you can shape them for a unique look! I just took the "straight" rope and squiggled (technical term) on my acrylic block before inking it up... stamped it straight and stamped it again curving it around the corner!

*Tip: faux a layer...the main panel is faux layered by using a ruler
and sharpie marker to go around the edges!

*Tip: my friend Liz (lazylizard) shared a tip she learned, coloring your clear rhinestones with a marker to match your color scheme! I used my black copic marker.

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping!


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

A Fun Technique

Yesterday's technique challenge on SCS was this really *difficult* looking, fun Tri Shutter card. Notice I said difficult looking, because it's actully super easy and you can make it as involved as you want or keep it simple........and it still looks like you spent HOURS on it! You will amaze your friends...lol

I had so much fun making 2 yesterday, that I did the color challenge today and also did High Hope's doodle challenge!

It's all colored with Copics, doodled, and the foliage carefully cut with scissors.

The next 2 are the ones I did yesterday, new releases from Artful Inkables


Music a la Carte and Rodeo Rodent


The papers from DCWV and K&Company were just perfect

Hope you give this a try, you'll so glad you did!
Now... the sun and gorgeous weather are calling to me, so I think I'm going to head outside!!

Enjoy your day....and as always, thanks for stopping!


Monday, May 18, 2009

It's Another Blog Hop!

If you arrived from Joanne's blog, then you're hopping in order...if not, that's ok too! You can start at Kristin's blog...just make sure you hit them all because someone is giving some awesome prizes!

I tell ya, Kristin has outdone herself with this release! Did I ever have fun creating these 2 cards. (I know, 1 would have been enough...but I started thinking... smoke? fire? yup..Dawn's thinking! and one card led to two!)
I even worked one into the CCEE challenge Deb gave us (to use some sort of specialty paper, something we've had...you know, you had to have it...you never use it...and there it sits!)


This is Rodeo Rodent, isn't he too cute, and he's available today from Artful Inkables.


It's colored with Copics, and sponged with Frayed Burlap Distress ink. The Sheriff's Star and sentiments are all part of the set. I embossed some "velvet" paper that I've had FOREVER by running it through the Cuttlebug with 2 embossing folders. It looks so cool in real life! I've also had that Cuttlebug Cowboy Hat die FOREVER, never used! Figured it was high time to break it in! I dirtied it up a bit by sponging the same distress ink around the Kraft paper and glued a thin strip of leather for the hat band.
A Zig Painty silver pen was used on his buckle and the star tips.

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This one was so much fun to create!! As soon as I saw the set, I knew I wanted to make this little guy out in the desert with some Mudd Puddles sand! Again, all the coloring is with Copic markers; the background sky was done with the airbrush.

I colored in the "sandy" area with a marker before applying the sand, that way it was ok if there were open spots and I didn't have to make sure I covered every little space!

When it was dry, I popped up the Cactus/border above the base and attached the mouse by a foam dot just behind his belly! (he's totally cut out and freestanding)

The card measures 4x4.

stamps: rodeo rodent-artful inkables ink: memento tuxedo black-tsukineko, frayed burlap-ranger paper: gp white, prism kraft, hollo's black, white colored with marker, velvet paper?other: spellbinders nestabilities, copic markers, cuttlebug/folders/die, word window punch-ek success, distressing tool, jute, leather strip, foam dimensionals, martha stewart border punch, inkssentials white gel pen-ranger, zip dry glue, zig painty silver pen, airbrush system, sand-mudd puddles, craft knife

Now, make your way to Toni's blog!

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While I was typing this post, look who showed up on our front porch!
He must have known I was talking about his cousins!

The picture looks a little grainy because I had to take it through the screen! Isn't he cute!

Hey, thanks for stopping...good luck with the blog hop...hope YOU win!!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

If God Be For Us...

Today's Featured Stamper on SCS is a good friend of mine, Joan Ervin. A very talented and oh~so~sweet lady! I had the good fortune to meet Joan last summer in Chicago....HA! someone that is shorter than I!

Anyhoo...this is the card I did...
It's colored with Prismacolor pencils blended with baby oil.

I love Stampscapes stamps!

I hope you're having a nice restful, peaceful Sunday. It's beautiful here today, sunny, almost on the cool side at 55*...we even have a frost warning for tonight!

Well, I'm off to take a nice walk.........work off some of the yummy dinner I finished not long ago!

As always, thanks for stopping!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

My Last Sneak Peek in the Dirty Dozen!

Can you believe it's been 6 months already
that I've been on the Dirty Dozen Design Team on Splitcoast!
Tomorrow is my last DD gallery opening!
So, here's a sneak peek at one of my projects.


If you're a Fan Club Member, be sure to leave us comments as I think we just might be having a Give Away like we did last month! Yup, you could win one of the projects you comment on if your name gets drawn! And like last month, you won't know which project you might get, so leave comments on everything to boost your chances! How fun is that!

See you in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping!!


An Award

I usually don't take the time to fuss with awards given by other bloggers...
but this one is worth the time.


My friend, Loretta Lock, thought of me with this award...


Here are the details about this award:

"The Exalting Christ Blog Award" is given to bloggers who consistently exalt the name of Christ on their blogs. What a joy to see crafters blend their passion for Christ and paper crafting. This award is given to bloggers who share Christ through their posts or through the design of their artwork. We are commanded in Scripture to be 'salt and light' sharing the Good News of Jesus no matter where we are (Matthew 5:13-16). This award is just a way members of Women to Women: Sharing Jesus can say thanks for exalting Christ with us!

Rules:
Post the blog award in a regular post on your blog with the explanation, including the original link to
WTW and the rules for passing the award along

1. Name five people to whom you want to offer this award and link to their blogs. The blogs need to obviously exalt Christ in some manner.

2. Contact the bloggers you have named to let them know they can pick up their blog award from you.

3. Invite them to permanently display the WTW blog badge and/or the award on their blogs. The badge can be obtained on the WTW site.

And with that, I'd like to pass this award on to the following 5 dear sisters in Christ:

Tosh ~Judy~Angie~Becca~Keri

Enjoy your day....Thanks for stopping!


Monday, May 11, 2009

Mondays, Techniques and Free Downloads

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday!
Sorry about my post...somehow my graphic didn't work.


Today promises to be a beautiful day with Sunshine Pictures, Images and Photos!! Yippee!!

I have 2 cards to share with you today, one for the technique on SCS, the other for my Monday challenge with a group of friends. Here's my CCEE card...it's our "Catchy Name Featured Stamper", "Imamuttnut" was our inspiration....so our card had to have a dog on it!
This image is by Inky Antics. I just love Janie Miller's style...her animals are too cute! It's colored with Prismacolor pencils (I'm trying to use them more to save my Copics! lol!) blended with baby oil. That cute doggy paper is a pack I picked up at Big Lots for....are you ready.. a buck! It's 8x8 sheets to boot! It's called Zippy Bow Wow Meow by Sue Zipkin...too cute!

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The technique on SCS today is the Bandana Technique, basically stamping...or in this case printing! onto colored cardstock and using your stamped images as your guide as you dot and dash your way around your designs.

I used this FREE "doodled" digital image from Mel...sheesh, sure wish I could doodle like that!
Thanks Mel!!

Prism Nautical Blue, Georgia Pacific White and My Mind's Eye were my papers of choice today. Inkssentials White gel pen on the flowers and Elmer's Paint stick around the edges. I used Copics on the colored flowers and colored my ribbon to match.WINK Pictures, Images and Photos
Pretty simple and quick to throw together! Some days you need that! LOL!
Hope it's wonderful where you are today....Enjoy the day!!
Thanks for stopping!
Myspace Comments, Glitter Graphics at GlitterYourWay.com

Saturday, May 9, 2009

I Had No Idea!!!

I was being nominated for this award!
thank you dog Pictures, Images and Photos
Hope everyone enjoys their day

Friday, May 8, 2009

I'm NOT Deaf...

Not really...just busy!

Jean just cracks me up! She's from Art Impressions and was done for the Limited Supply Challenge on SCS...to pick a special day/observance in May... Better Hearing and Speech Month!

She's colored with Copics, stickles on her pinwheel, shaving cream background leftover from the other day.... true serendipity! When I color an image I don't usually have paper in mind, I just color! When I got ready to put the card together, lo and behold, there was that piece! Perfect!!

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And a card I did yesterday...I just love realistic bird stamps! This one from Our Daily Bread. Not only are they beautiful images but Kelley puts wonderful Scriptures and quotes with them.


It's colored with Prismacolor pencils blended with baby oil. The cool border I got from Mel's blog. It's just a template she drew that you can print off... trace on the backside and cut away! I tell ya, she has more tricks up her sleeve than David Copperfield! (ooh, did you know I got to go see his show one time....awesome!)

Now, it's on with my busy day! Hope yours is wonderful!!

Thanks for stopping!

Myspace Comments, Glitter Graphics at GlitterYourWay.com

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Frog Eggs and Orchids

The other day while walking outside I came upon this unusual nest!!
Frog eggs? Serious?

Well, take a look for yourself!


No, actually, some stupid Starling had laid her eggs inside my llama trailer....not laying them IN a nest.... and they rolled OUT of the trailer...totally proving how stupid and worthless Starlings are! They are not Robin eggs, Robin eggs are a deeper blue. Two of them were cracked, so before the llamas stepped on them I thought they'd look cute in one of my little gardens. Then I got the idea of the frog sitting next to them....yeah, my goofy sense of humor!


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Now for the Orchids


Today's sketch on SCS combined with Gina's technique for the day, shaving cream background. For the technique I used Adirondack dye reinkers, Lemonade, Cool Peri and Willow.

The orchid is another one from the set Tropicals by Inque Boutique. It's colored with Prismacolor pencils blended with baby oil then I sponged the background with Scattered Straw distress ink while it was still in the Spellbinder's die. I dabbed Milled Lavender Stickles on the petals with my fingertip....ooooh, spark-lay!

I made a couple of faux brads by using my Cropadile and punching 6 circles, gluing 3 together for each brad. Then I applied Glossy Accents and set them aside to dry before gluing in place.

supplies:
stamps: tropicals-inque boutique paper: hollo's smooth white, making memories textured ink: memento tuxedo black-tsukineko, scattered straw-ranger, adirondack reinkers lemonade, cool peri, willow-ranger other: shaving cream, martha stewart punches, cropadile, spellbinders sm/lg deckled mega rectangles, ribbon, zip dry glue, distress stickles-ranger, glossy accents-ranger, dauber, foam dimensionals, craft knife

Take a walk around the yard...you never know what you're going to find! *wink*

Thanks for stopping!

Myspace Comments, Glitter Graphics at GlitterYourWay.com

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo is a date of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. It marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Althought the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest.

Cinco de Mayo's history has its roots in the French Occupation of Mexico. The French occupation took shape in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. With this war, Mexico entered a period of national crisis during the 1850's. Years of not only fighting the Americans but also a Civil War, had left Mexico devastated and bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium in which all foreign debt payments would be suspended for a brief period of two years, with the promise that after this period, payments would resume.

The English, Spanish and French refused to allow president Juarez to do this, and instead decided to invade Mexico and get payments by whatever means necessary. The Spanish and English eventually withdrew, but the French refused to leave. Their intention was to create an Empire in Mexico under Napoleon III. Some have argued that the true French occupation was a response to growing American power and to the Monroe Doctrine (America for the Americans). Napoleon III believed that if the United States was allowed to prosper indescriminantly, it would eventually become a power in and of itself.

In 1862, the French army began its advance. Under General Ignacio Zaragoza, 5,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians defeated the French army in what came to be known as the "Batalla de Puebla" on the fifth of May.
In the United States, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to be known as simply "5 de Mayo" and unfortunately, many people wrongly equate it with Mexican Independence which was on September 16, 1810, nearly a fifty year difference.
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These stamps from Stamps Happen are perfect for today! Ooooh, for some garden tomatoes to make fresh salsa!! These would make cute place cards and invitations for a Mexican theme dinner wouldn't they! ......mmmmm....ok, I'm seriously craving Mexican right now!!
This card is a combo technique and color challenge on SCS. The techinque is wax paper resist with a twist. I ran 2 pieces of wax paper through the Cuttlebug with 2 different folders, placed the wax paper over my cardstock and taking some copy paper to sandwich it between, I ironed over it. The wax transfers to your cardstock and leaves a pattern which magically appears when you brayer ink over it!! Cool huh!
The images are colored with a combo of Prismacolor pencils and Copics. I stamped and colored a second image, cut it out and popped it up over each one. The swirly clip is held on by Helmar's Scrap Dots glue....amazing stuff!
!Espero que haya un maravilloso 5 de mayo!
Gracias por pasar

Monday, May 4, 2009

Good Monday to You!


Has it really been a week since my last post?!! OH MY!! Things have just been busy!

I'm still struggling with this "bug", although I feel so much better!! Thanks for your prayers!

This is my last month with the Dirty Dozen on SCS...a moment of silence please...
I took advantage of Lloyd being out of town to stamp 24/7 and create! My mojo was in high gear and I'm almost done with my gallery!! Woohooo!!

I was also asked to be in charge of awards and sponsors for the Ohio State Fair Llama Show, so I've been swamped in papers, phone calls...learning the ropes! Anyone want to sponsor a class? haha

This card was done for my Monday challenge with some of my friends...to make a Mother's Day card. This image is a "new to me" company, Inque Boutique, I found at Crafts 2000. They're large sets for under $5!! It's colored with Prismacolor pencils blended with baby oil and airbrushed with the Spellbinder's Labels 3 in place. I also dry embossed the Labels 3 which is hard to see in the picture. The ribbon was attached to the narrow piece of cardstock and run through the Cuttlebug with a border folder...I learned that from my technique buddy Mel (she is one creative gal!!)...some Martha Stewart punches, a sentiment from Artful Inkables, and my card is done!

I hope you have a Wonderful Monday!! Looks like we'll have another day WITHOUT rain, what is that...2 dry days in a row? Woohoo!! The llamas were beginning to quack!!

Thanks for stopping!
Myspace Comments, Glitter Graphics at GlitterYourWay.com